Those who are slim - How do you stay slim over Xmas?

[sarahso]

I've lost a good amount of weight this year, im not quite at my target yet and I'm DESPERATE not to pile a load back on next month. I have 2 x work Xmas dos, DH's work's Xmas do, friends night out, Christmas dinner, Boxing Day dinner.. probably more.

Does anyone have some tips to help gain less!?

We also have Christmas day at the inlaws, where picken's are slim, let's say, so it's not that tough

As long as you don't gorge on quality street for days on end, you should be okay

Prioiritise protein and vegetables in your meals
Choose your treat - dessert OR acohol, not both
Maintain activity - keep up your steps and if you do other exercise try to keep it going
Ok it's not the end of the world if you put on a few pounds over christmas but it's a good time to test if you have actually changed your mindset. Do you need to over indulge to enjoy yourself or can you find other ways to have fun?

Im trying to keep the fridge/freezer stocked with prepped meals. Like you, I have a lot of party nights coming up but the main thing for me is not letting them spill into the surrounding days. I don’t want hangover takeaways etc on top of meals out and drinks, so I’m trying to eat normally every day that I’m at home.

We often try and get out and walk more between Christmas and New Year, we have some friends where the tradition is a walk before going to the pub. We watch for breaks in the weather to get the dog out for a decent hike as work is less pressured or we have time off.

It's not what you eat between Christmas and New Year that dictates your weight, it's what you eat between New Year and Christmas. Enjoy yourself 🙂

Sounds like a plan then!

Maintain good habits - lots of vegetables, go easy on carbs, stick to lean meats. Small helpings of desserts and whipped cream. If you're faced with a charcuterie board, indulge in small doses. Choose veggies and fruits over heavy cheeses. Eat slowly. Sip your drinks.

Before you head out to the events you'll be attending, have something fairly substantial to eat so you won't be ravenous and devour everything in sight when you get there.

I don't overeat, I keep up with my usual exercise schedule of walks and runs, I allow myself a few treats, but basically I eat the same amount as normal, and if I gain a pound or two I cut back immediately afterwards.

I usually gain 7lbs each Christmas and, until about three years ago, lost it each January. Now it just stays firmly attached to me year on year!
My plan this year has two parts. First - and most important - is to buy less! Whilst I love mince pies, I don't need one every day in December. I don't need to buy Lebkuchen, shortbread, florentines and so forth, especially as I know that, realistically, I am the only one who eats them.
The second part of it is to get some dates in the diary to meet friends for a walk or a coffee after a trip to the gym, making sure I build exercise into my day rather than sit on the sofa eating another box of chocolates

I don't really eat any more at Christmas, I suppose I just eat differently with more chocolates, cakes, crisps etc.

I don't gain weight because if I try to eat more than usual (especially in one sitting), my stomach just says 'No'.

That’s all very well but I think the issue is the festive period is longer for a lot of people including the OP - assuming all the events they mentioned aren’t within one week.

My first Christmas party is December 2nd, and when I used to work in the office that’s when Christmas snacks and sweets would start to appear, not to mention all the supermarket offers popping up around then. So it’s easy enough to fall into the trap of getting into the Christmas eating mindset for the whole of December.

Id I just ate whatever I wanted from early December until say January 2nd that would be a month of overeating - which is more than enough time for me to put a stone.

I will enjoy myself for sure but not by overeating for several days or weeks.

Good quote!

I diet afterwards. January is miserable anyway.

Doing the Festive 500

I know how I did it last year, hid all the goodies that mother bought in the house. Hid them so well Im only just finding them now Im getting Christmas ready this year lol

Im unfortunate in that I only need to be in the vicinity of a calorie and Ive gained a pound

I also dont say no to a drink

This is my second Christmas at target and I intend to stay at it, I dont want to go back yo yo - ing

Christmas cake and mince pies are off the menu for me, and tbh I dont really miss them. Wayyy too sweet for me now

I have 3 restaurant Christmas dinners this year and tbh Christmas dinner isnt the worse - meat and veg - its the dessert and starter , so I forgo dessert or choose a roulade if its on offer, and pick something thats not been near the fryer for starter - its usually soup or a Caesar salad

We are an older family so over the years the treats have been cut and cut as we get sick of the sight of them. Mums in her twilight years and loves her sweet treats which she keeps in her sitting room. Christmas dinner is as I say meat and veg but I do have the pigs in blankets, I do have the stuffings, I do have proper gravy, I do my spuds in goose fat - thats my treat. A decent Christmas dinner ( and all those left overs for the next few days ) and some decent cheese - low fat anything doesn't get a look in over the Christmas week :)

I tend to put everything in serving dishes Christmas dinner and take what I know I really want to eat - that bit of turkey, those two roast potatoes that are just pure perfection, those parsnips that have just the right amount to char, those sprouts that are just the perfect size that you know they are going to be cooked to your perfection. It probably would be what would be deemed a Childs portion, but its the deliciousness and perfection that Im wanting. Once thats in me, I then have the option to take more , sometimes I do, maybe just another slice of turkey and ham, other times you couldn't fill me and Id go around again

As a PP said, there really is only so much food a person can eat. Get shot of the mindless picking crap and its easy ( ish ) And keep the steps up, I still go out there and get a couple of miles in on both my days off work

The biscuits and sweets and chocolates gifted to us, find their way to friends who have kids

For meals in restaurants I tend to have fish, as I like it and it’s a lower calorie choice and portion is not huge. Pudding is ice cream, or share something with DH. Lunch on that day with be light eg tuna salad.

For Christmas/ Boxing Day I have normal portion but no roast potatoes, as I don’t like them. Pudding is a normal portion of anything I like. Supper later will be a small snack eg cheese and crackers.

Between these big meals I have some good days. My go to good lunch is chicken/tuna salad with vinaigrette instead of mayo so no carbs at all. My go to good dinner is a smallish portion of anything with lots of veg/salad and not much carbs.

Don’t buy lots of goodies to minimise snacking.

I do this all year not just at Christmas. Lucky for me I love fish, salad and veg and don’t like roast pots. Snacks are my downfall though and need to be controlled.

I allow myself Christmas Eve till 1st Jan to relax control around what I eat, then go on a diet in January. It's annoying that it now takes all month to lose the extra few lbs rather than a couple of weeks, but such is life when you're in peri-menopause.

Also no starters ever - it’s like having a little meal before your meal. Not necessary.

Same for me, we have a few events leading up to Xmas/new year and I know I’ll eat more than I usually do.

I lost nearly 3 stone over a period of a year and actually got a bit too thin so I was happy to put on 1.5kg whilst on holiday for a month just over a year ago. Trouble is, I’ve put on an additional 2kg since and struggling to lose it, despite calorie counting and exercise every day. That said, I’m going to enjoy my Xmas dinner and a few treats and drinks but won’t go mad on the chocolates, crisps and nuts and I intend to keep up the exercise.

From January, I’m going to go hard to lose whatever weight I’ve gained ready for a holiday in March, so I have a great incentive to shift those few kilos and get back to my happy weight.

I tend to relax and decide to eat and drink what I feel like but after a few days I just feel like absolute shit especially if exercise is minimal.

This is a good thing as it means that you start to moderate again and cut back on the crap.

After a few days it's not about it being a treat anymore , it actually becomes plain old gluttony.

I get fat between September and Jan... then try to get slim from Jan to September!

You're right, you start to feel sluggish and a bit disgusted in yourself!

I eat smaller meals on the days I know I’m going to have a big splurge. So for example a small breakfast on Xmas day. And I don’t stuff my face for an entire month. But I do enjoy the treats and the odd big meal and the booze

Most of your replies are from people who diet normally.
You asked how people who are slim stay slim. The answer is I don't eat much differently. I will eat whatever's on the table at meals and might eat Christmas cake instead of my usual cake or pudding.
It does tend to be a time when people don't exercise as much? Classes close, the weather might be off putting. I feel sluggish if I don't do much but might weight won't change particularly.

I will eat and drink a bit more than usual so will just lose the extra couple of pounds afterwards. However, I won't mindlessly binge and I don't like any Christmassy sweet food (Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, stollen, mince pies etc) so that helps. I am sure I will eat more cheese than I normally do though!

we have a buffet Christmas Eve me husband and teenager and Christmas dinner on Christmas Day. Other than that I eat normally. I’ve had a mince pie , bought individual ones rather than a pack of eight. Christmas dinner is kind of between lunch and dinner so weetabix for breakfast then Christmas dinner so won’t bother with lunch.

I’ve a couple of meals out but again will have something fairly healthy ( that I want) but nothing fried so a similar meal out to one I’d have in say February.

I like being slim and that means I have to watch what I eat.